Elementary, Watson: styling a Sherlock-inspired living room

It really is quite elementary to style an awesome, Sherlock Holmes-inspired living room. Follow our tips!

You might have learned to love the complex and multifaceted Sherlock Holmes through the classic series of books and short stories by the legendary Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; or, you might have fallen in love with Benedict Cumberbatch’s weird and slightly aloof version of the famous detective in the TV series Sherlock. Regardless of how you became a fan, you’ve probably been dreaming for years of the day when you’d be able to style a Sherlock Holmes-inspired living room or study room. Well, why not both? Take a look at the interior design pieces that will help you nail the “Londoner detective” style! Alright, you need...

To be honest with you, our memory is a bit blurred: we can’t seem to recall how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described the wallpaper in Sherlock and Watson’s apartment. However, it hasn't been too long since we watched Sherlock, so here’s what we can tell you: you should pick a lively wallpaper. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s brightly colored or quite dark: it needs to be impressive. Why? Well, you need to ask yourself: who’s living in this apartment? A brilliant, hyperactive mind that gets bored really easily! A vivid wallpaper will create a stimulating environment where you’ll never get bored. Tip: if you have a slight obsessive-compulsive tendency when it comes to keeping your place clean and tidy, be careful! Avoid richly decorated wallpapers that might cause you to hyperventilate and freak out.

Remember that your Sherlock study is ideally set in London, so you need to create a warm, cozy atmosphere. What’s better than a wooden floor to convey this feeling? Opt for some dark, raw-looking durmast boards: true, they might make the room look smaller, but they will 100% make it feel like home. Even if you were to decide to get some other type of material for your floor, like stone or ceramic tiles, remember to choose a neutral design: the last thing you want is having your walls and your floor clash with each other.

Sherlock may love Watson, his dear friend and housemate, but he’s basically a lone wolf: he’ll get up in the middle of the night to play his violin, or get up at the break of dawn to experiment with some chemical reactio; in short, he has his own independent life. That’s why, in a Sherlock Holmes-inspired living room or study, you definitely need one single armchair. Not two: one. Your armchair will express your individuality on your behalf; it will be your spot to think things over, read your favourite book or bingewatch a TV show. As for the type of armchair, we think you should opt for a traditional, sober look, that you can spruce up with an unusual choice of color or material. How about this leather upholstered chair? The cerulean leather and the oak of the frame are a match made in heaven.

Just because you cherish and appreciate your individuality and some alone time, it doesn’t mean you hate being among people! In fact, what would you have a living room for if not for sharing it with your closest friends? That’s why, in addition to your solitary armchair, you need to get a sofa too. However, in order to bring a touch of dynamism and originality to the room, we wouldn’t get two pieces of furniture belonging to the same set. Try spicing things up a bit by choosing different colors or materials. However, we LOVE leather, and we think that brown leather in particular, with that slight vintage look, would fit in delightfully in your Sherlock living room. Again, don’t be scared if your sofa and armchair don’t match: since the 90s, the main idea behind interior design has been that of choosing unique pieces that help bring out your personality!

You can go crazy here! Any look or style will do; we’d opt for a wooden coffee table, but we also really, really wanted to show you this one. Why? Well, you should remember our story is set in London, and it so happens its designer called this cute coffee table Twiggy, like the unforgettable 60s model from London. This isn’t actually the only reason why we’re recommending it: the tangle of twigs below the glass surface looks playful and a bit messy: and if our favourite Consultant Detective may not be the most playful person on Earth, he is certainly quite a bit messy.

This actually depends on how big of a fan you are; if you do love Sherlock and Watson’s adventures though, it would be an excellent idea to get a tiny object containing a subtle reference. Try thinking about Sherlock: what’s the first thought that comes to mind? The first thought that comes to our mind is his timeless tobacco pipe! So there you go: a tiny, decorative ashtray with a contemporary twist. It doesn’t really matter whether or not you’ll actually use it: it will sit on your coffee table like a precious ruby stone that everyone will admire.

Fireplaces are indispensable elements of English living rooms: the weather is so cold and gloomy all the time, that it’s simply unthinkable to live in a house that’s not warmed up by a crackling fire! It’s perfectly fine if you don’t have a built-in fireplace: a contemporary-looking, freestanding one will look just as fine.

We’re assuming you’re a voracious reader, since you love Sherlock. Even if you’re not, you’re still going to need a bookcase or a shelving system for all those things you might want to keep within a hand’s reach, like your Bluetooth speaker, that magazine you’ve been reading, etc. We happen to find this specific bookcase great for our Sherlock theme. Why? It has a Gothic-Victorian vibe that would make it look great in a 19th century living room. Plus, it’s characterized by an airy and spacious structure, so, no matter how small your living room is, it will never look cramped.

We don’t see a reason to keep living room and study separate: Sherlock and Watson’s apartment consisted of two bedrooms and a common room, and that’s exactly the type of space we’re aiming to recreate here. So far, we’ve been employing pretty contemporary stuff, so why not add a nice vintage look? A sturdy chestnut desk with built-in drawers isn’t just a piece that would look amazing in a London-y context, but it’s also a classic: high-quality wood will last for generations!

Of course, now it’s time to select a lamp for your desk. Our suggestion is to stick to a vintage style. There are so many vintage table lamps out there that you can really let yourself go crazy! Pictured below is our recommendation for you. We literally fell in love with this lamp. First of all, it’s made of glass, which kind of makes it resemble one of those old Victorian lanterns you would take around the house with you. And then, doesn’t the shape remind you of one of those lovely pavillions you might stumble upon in an Edwardian park? Despite this lamp being designed and produced in Italy, we can’t help finding it very English!